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Elizabeth Taylor: The Movies

Screen legend Elizabeth Taylor started her film career as a child, hitting it big when she starred as a 12-year-old girl hoping to become a jockey in "National Velvet." The violet-eyed beauty went on to star in some of cinema's classics, including "Giant," "Cleopatra" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

Take a look back at her filmography, along with great quotes and trivia!

The Best Elizabeth Taylor Movies

'National Velvet' (1944)

Velvet Brown (Elizabeth Taylor): "I want it all quickly 'cause I don't want God to stop and think and wonder if I'm getting more than my share."

'Life With Father' (1947)

Mary (Elizabeth Taylor): "That's funny. The words are the same, but it's the wrong tune."
Clarence Day (William Powell): "Oh, it can't be the wrong tune. We sing it exactly that way in church."
Mary: "We don't sing it that way in the Methodist Church. You see, we're Methodist."
Clarence Day: "Oh, that's too bad. Oh, I don't mean it's too bad that you're a Methodist. Anybody's got a right to be anything they want, but what I mean is, we're... Episcopalians."

'Little Women' (1949)

Trivia: In the novel, Taylor's character, Amy, is the youngest sister, but in order to use the MGM darling, Margaret O'Brien as Beth, the Louisa May Alcott character was made the youngest.

'Father of the Bride' (1950)

Trivia: MGM gave Elizabeth Taylor a wedding gift: a wedding dress designed by Edith Head, to wear marrying her first husband, Conrad Hilton.

'Quo Vadis' (1951)

Trivia: The film was originally cast in 1949 with Elizabeth Taylor as Lygia and Gregory Peck as Marcus Vinicus. When the the production changed hands the following year, however, the roles were recast with Deborah Kerr and Robert Taylor.

'A Place in the Sun' (1951)

Angela (Elizabeth Taylor): "Goodbye, George."
[half-turns away and then looks back]
Angela: "Seems like we always spend the best part of our time just saying goodbye."

'Ivanhoe' (1952)

Trivia: Elizabeth Taylor considered herself to be miscast as Rebecca, and during filming there was talk of replacing her once again with Deborah Kerr, who took over Taylor's role in "Quo Vadis." Taylor stuck with it this time.

'Giant' (1956)

'Raintree County' (1957)

Susanna Drake (Elizabeth Taylor): "That 4th of July race... what happens when you win?"
John Wickliff Shawnessy (Montgomery Clift): "Well, according to a friend of mine, if I win, a beautiful girl will place a garland of oak leaves on my sun-colored locks."
Susanna: "I'd like to be that girl
John: "Maybe it can be arranged?"
Susanna: "Oh, it can be arranged, all right. I'll arrange it."

'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' (1958)

Maggie Pollitt (Elizabeth Taylor): "You know what I feel like? I feel all the time like a cat on a hot tin roof
Brick Pollitt (Paul Newman): "Then jump off the roof, Maggie. Jump off it. Cats jump off roofs and land uninjured. Do it. Jump."
Maggie: "Jump where? Into what?"

'Suddenly, Last Summer' (1959)

Catherine Holly (Elizabeth Taylor): "Cut the truth out of my brain... is that what you want Aunt Vi ? Well you can't. Not even God can change the truth that we were nothing but a pair of..."
Mrs. Venable (Katharine Hepburn): "Doctor!"
Catherine: "It's the truth!"
Mrs. Venable: "See how she destroys us with her tongue for a hatchet? You've got to cut this hideous story out of her brain."
Catherine: "How much are you willing to pay for that Aunt Vi?"

'BUtterfield 8' (1960)

Gloria Wandrous (Elizabeth Taylor): "Command performances leave me quite cold. I've had more fun in the back seat of a '39 Ford than I could ever have in the vault of the Chase Manhattan Bank."

'Cleopatra' (1963)

Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor): "There are never enough hours in the days of a queen, and her nights have too many."

'The Sandpiper' (1965)

Trivia: According to one published report, the redwood sculpture of a nude Elizabeth Taylor was accidentally destroyed years later when it tipped over and smashed, and was discovered to be teeming with termites.

'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' (1966)

George (Richard Burton): "You're a monster. You are."
Martha (Elizabeth Taylor): "I'm loud and I'm vulgar, and I wear the pants in the house because somebody's got to, but I am not a monster. I'm not."
George: "You're a spoiled, self-indulgent, willful, dirty-minded, liquor-ridden..."
Martha: "SNAP! It went SNAP! I'm not gonna try to get through to you any more. There was a second back there, yeah, there was a second, just a second when I could have gotten through to you, when maybe we could have cut through all this, this CRAP. But it's past, and I'm not gonna try."

'Reflections in a Golden Eye' (1967)

Trivia: The role of Major Penderton was originally to be played by Montgomery Clift but because of the physical demands of the part, the studio was not willing to insure Clift, after his years of illness. Elizabeth then committed her large salary as insurance in order to secure Clift for the role — but the actor died of a heart attack before filming began, and the role went to Marlon Brando.

'The Taming of the Shrew' (1967)

Katherina (Elizabeth Taylor): "I knew you at the first. You were a moveable!"
Petruchio (Richard Burton): "Why, what's a moveable?"
Katherina: "A stool like this!" [she kicks out the stool he was sitting on, and he falls on the floor]
Petruchio: "Then sit on me!" [he pulls her down on his lap]
Petruchio: "Our asses are made to bear and so are you."
Katherina: [she punches him] "Women are made to bear and so are you."
Petruchio: "Not such a load as yours if me you mean."

'A Little Night Music' (1977)

Trivia: Several changes were made in adapting the Broadway musical "A Little Night Music" for the screen. At least four songs were deleted. Two songs ("The Glamorous Life" and "Night Waltz") were entirely rewritten and reinterpreted. The biggest change was setting the story in Austria instead of Sweden.

'General Hospital' (1981)

Helena Cassadine (Elizabeth Taylor): "Now, my grandson is gone. He's gone. And I will spend the rest of my life seeing that the Quartermaines pay-every last one of you. Now that Nikolas is gone. I have nothing to live for but vengeance."

'The Flintstones' (1994)

Trivia: When Elizabeth Taylor was on the set, two jokes were played. When her character was at a makeup table, a stone perfume bottle was engraved "White Diamonds" which is the name of Taylor's perfume line. Another was when her character was tied up, Taylor playfully looked at the director and asked did he know how many men "wanted [her] in that position?"